City Planning Certifies City Applications to Build Borough-Based Jails

The four jails are set to replace Rikers island by 2027. On March 25, 2019, the City Planning Commission certified the City’s application for four borough-based jails as a part of the City’s plan to shut down Rikers Island. The four jails – in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn – will have a total of 5,748 beds and a capacity of 5,000 inmates. The additional 748 beds will be used to account for taking … <Read More>


DDC Announces Yvi McEvilly as Head of Agency’s Design-Build Unit

On December 7, 2023, the Department of Design and Construction announced the appointment of Yvi McEvilly as the new Assistant Commissioner for the agency’s Design-Build Unit. Her role will help expand the design-build program, which allows for a single entity to be responsible for both the design and construction of projects, avoiding the additional procurement process of approving separate vendors. With designers and builders on the same team from a project’s start, there is more <Read More>


HPD Announces “Just Home” Project For Critically Ill Recently Released Rikers Detainees

With approximately 70 studios, the development will house patients with medical needs like congestive heart failure and end-stage renal disease after they leave jail. On August 19, 2022, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and NYC Health + Hospitals announced “Just Home,” a housing project in Morris Park, Bronx geared towards formerly incarcerated New Yorkers.


COMPLETE VIDEO: 179th CityLaw Breakfast with Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President

Today, May 13, 2022, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine spoke at the 179th CityLaw Breakfast. Borough President Levine spoke on “Manhattan’s Recovery.” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law provided opening remarks. Matt Gewolb, Associate Dean and Vice President for Institutional Strategy and General Counsel at New York Law School, led a closing discussion with Borough President Levine. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was … <Read More>


Commentary: Remote Hearings are Over – What Happens Now?

On June 23, 2021 Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state’s COVID-19 emergency orders, which are set to expire today will not be renewed. One of the provisions within the emergency order adjusted the requirements of the Open Meetings Law to allow public hearings to be held remotely via telephone or video conference or other similar service. As of Friday, June 25th, the Open Meetings Law will again require all meetings to be held in-person.


Jamie Torres-Springer Appointed New Commissioner of Design and Construction

Torres-Springer, the former First Deputy Commissioner of the department, will be succeeding Senior Advisor for Recovery and outgoing Commissioner Lorraine Grillo. On March 23, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Jamie Torres-Springer as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Design and Construction. Torres-Springer will be succeeding Lorraine Grillo. Former Commissioner Grillo left the position earlier in March to serve as the City’s Senior Advisor for Recovery.